1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally pertains to an apparatus and a method for uroflowmetry. Uroflowmetry can generally be defined as the collection and measurement of a patient's urination for the purpose of determining urine flow data that are necessary to analyze the patient's urination by comparing the patient's urine flow data to standardized urine flow data of healthy individuals. The present invention allows medical professionals to non-invasively diagnose a patient's urination by collecting, measuring and computing urine flow data to determine if any medical conditions and symptoms that affect urine flow are present. The within invention is designed and constructed in such a manner as to allow for the collection and measurement of urination to be done quickly, easily and at a reduced cost. A preferred embodiment according to the present invention is easy to implement and less costly than current uroflowmetry procedures thereby allowing uroflowmetry to be administered by more medical professionals, resulting in a quicker diagnosis of a patient's medical conditions and symptoms, if any.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Uroflowmetry is a procedure that measures the volume of urine released (excreted) from the body, the speed with which the urine is excreted, and the duration of the excretion. The study of urination flow has been an accepted method for the diagnosis of diseases, conditions and symptoms of the urinary tract in patients for many years. There have been numerous methods and apparatus used in uroflowmetry to provide for the measurement and recording of the flow of urination for analysis and study by medical professionals. One of the primary purposes of uroflowmetry is for the diagnosis of prostate problems.
As a result of an increased incidence of prostate pathology the public and physicians have raised concerns regarding diagnostic techniques for the timely detection of prostate pathology. The need for improved diagnostic techniques has become more acute especially with regard to more effective screening techniques. The growing incidence in prostate pathology, especially benign prostate hyperplasia (“BPH”) and prostate carcinoma, requires an improved screening apparatus and method that provides an accurate and reliable diagnostic rate for early stage detection of prostrate pathology than what was available in the past. Current concerns related to uroflowmetry within the health care system are, when is the best time to administer uroflowmetry screening, and which health care professional should perform the screening.
There are different approaches used for evaluating patients for BPH and prostate pathology. Urologists generally use case findings for BPH in symptomatic patients and uroflowmetry assists in the diagnosis of such patients. Studies have shown that if uroflowmetry indicates a decreased urine flow in a patient, there will be a definite outlet obstruction in 70% of those cases. The use of uroflowmetry by physicians is an improvement in the professional service rendered to prostrate prone patients and is recommended by various International Authorities.
Uroflowmetry enables the physician to identify patients in whom pathology has begun developing. Until recently such patients were sent home under the impression of being in perfect health due to lack of symptoms. The general physician is in an ideal position to evaluate and monitor prostate pathology with the help of uroflowmetry. Using uroflowmetry, a decrease in urine flow can be detected even before the patient will experience any symptoms. Uroflowmetry can also lead to monitoring and planning at an early stage of pathology. Middle-aged and older male patients should ideally be screened regularly for prostate-related problems like BPH. Currently most physicians who do screening, use the digital rectal examination (“DRE”) as this is the only procedure available to them. Most Physicians wait for patients to demonstrate actual symptoms and then the patient is referred to an Urologist. Although DRE is an important part of physical examination, it cannot assess the median lobe, a common site of adenoma enlargement. For this and other well-documented and internationally accepted reasons, DRE has limited value as a screening procedure for prostatic obstruction. Additionally DRE is shunned by male patients and some practitioners.
International research has shown that accurate measurement of the urinary flow rate provides important and useful information that may indicate the presence of bladder outlet obstruction, and that careful examination of the patient's actual flow pattern displayed on a graph may indicate a possible etiology for an abnormal flow pattern. For this, and other well-documented reasons, uroflowmetry is currently one of the best procedures for screening male patients for prostate-related problems.